Grade 3-8: Art in Math - Origami

Origami is a Japanese artform originating in the 17th century meaning "ori" folding and gami" folding. The object is to create forms using folding paper without scissors or glue. 

Extreme origami

Erik and Mark Demaine win the Guggenheim award for their curved-crease sculptures. The Demaines used origami to be a powerful tool to study mathematics, the father-and-son duo explore foldable forms from both mathematical and artistic perspectives. This concentric circle shape can be traced back to the Bauhaus, which the Demaines have extended further by pushing multiple concentric circles together. 

Their mathematical origami was on view through January 2014 at the Museum of Modern Art’s Applied Design collection.

Grade 6-8: Art in Math - Geometry in Art

Hyperbolic lampshade by Gabriele Meyer
In the April 2014 issue of Discover Magazine the bridge between art and mathematics is explored where artists use equations and geometry to create beautiful works of art.
Visions of Math

The  Bridges Organization, oversees the annual Bridges conference on connections between art and mathematics. 

Bridges began in Kansas in 1998. Since then it has traveled to cities in North America and Europe, and has attracted participants from over thirty countries. The conference features invited speakers, full and short paper presentations, educational workshops, a juried art exhibition, a mathematical poetry reading, and a short movie festival.

Happy Pi Day!

March 14! (3.14)

Grade 1-8: Contest - Doodle 4 Google

Since 2008, Google has been hosting a doodle contest for children K-12. Each doodle must be submitted on an official entry form. Hand drawn entries are fine as well as the use of Photoshop. 

Create your doodle in a new document 1894 pixels high by 2960 pixels wide at 300 dpi. Eligible Doodles must be two-dimensional and scannable.

The contest takes place between February and March each year. There is an opportunity for the public to vote through April and then judges view entries from all 50 states with winners announced each June. 

To inspire the creative process: 
There are also various fun activities set up in partnership with Discovery Education, are designed to help K-12 classrooms (and individuals) stretch their creative muscles and warm up for the Doodle 4 Google competition.

Thomas Edison once said, “To have a great idea is to have a lot of them.” 

Activities for Grades K-2
Activities for Grades 3-5
Activities for Grades 6-8
Activities for Grades 9-12

Grades: 6-8: Art in Math- Making Art Using Equations Autologlyph

According to Discover magazine many artists use calculations and numerical analyses as a rich source of ideas and methods for their creations.

This is a self-referential bunny — a sculpture of a bunny, the surface of which is tiled by 72 copies of the word "Bunny."

This piece is part of a larger series of "autologlyphs," following on from HS's "Sphere Autologlyph" from the 2010 Bridges art exhibition. An autologlyph is a word written or represented in a way which is described by the word itself. This style of autologlyph combines Escher-style tessellation with typographical ideas related to ambigrams.